Blumenthal continuing to push for immigration, gun changes

Monday

Apr 22, 2013 at 12:01 AMApr 22, 2013 at 10:14 PM

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he will continue working for changes to immigration and gun laws despite the failure last week of a new round of firearms restrictions to get Senate approval.

JAMES MOSHER

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he will continue working for changes to immigration and gun laws despite the failure last week of a new round of firearms restrictions to get Senate approval.

Bills with significant support from both Democrats and Republicans are not becoming law because of a Senate rule that requires 60 votes to close debate, Blumenthal said Monday during a breakfast meeting organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut. Provisions including a national background check, an assault weapons ban and National Rifle Association-backed concealed carry permits all failed to get 60 votes. A simple majority is 51 votes.

“The fact that you have a bipartisan plan doesn’t guarantee success,” Blumenthal said during the meeting held at the Holiday Inn Norwich attended by 175 people. “I say abolish the filibuster rule. It’s a Senate rule. It could be changed. It’s absolutely necessary for our democracy.”

The Newtown school shooting continues to shape the gun debate and will eventually result in what the senator called “common-sense measures,” such as banning high-capacity ammunition clips, he said.

“We’re not going away,” Blumenthal said. “The American people will not take no for an answer.”

He reiterated his call to support immigration bills that contain a “track to earn citizenship,” crackdowns on hiring of illegal aliens, enhanced border security and more visas for highly skilled workers, as well as additional money to boost technical training for native-born Americans.

“It should have economic consequences, and they should be very positive,” Blumenthal said.
Community colleges and technical high schools continue to play an important role in retraining workers and boosting the national economic recovery, he said.

Grace Jones, president of Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, said she liked what she heard.

“He understands us,” Jones said after the breakfast. “He’s been to our campus. He’s toured our labs. I feel real support from him.”

The nation’s health care system continues to contain a considerable amount of “wasteful spending,” the senator said. He called for organizations to work together to reduce “administrative complexity.”

That’s easier said than done, chamber President and CEO Tony Sheridan said.

“In the health care system, one person’s costs is another person’s revenue stream,” he said.
Submarines are becoming increasingly important to the armed services, Blumenthal said, ensuring that Groton-based manufacturer Electric Boat Corp. will “have plenty of work in the years ahead.”

“This is enormously positive news for our country and our national security,” he said with EB President Kevin Poitras sitting less than three feet away from the speaker’s podium.

Blumenthal described a recent trade mission to France that included meetings with executives of Airbus, one of the world’s largest aerospace companies. The mission was aimed at boosting U.S. exports, which provide one out of every 20 American jobs, the senator said. Large manufacturers such as EB and Airbus are heavily dependent on small businesses and also help small enterprises to grow, he noted.